Customer information for the Petzl CROLL B16 & B16AAA

March 17th 2014:This information is aimed specifically at those organizations that use the Petzl CROLL ascender intensively for commercial operations.

Facts:

Two different customers have informed us recently of the failure of the rivet head on two Petzl CROLL rope clamps. Neither failure led to an accident. These two CROLL rope clamps were used on offshore platforms in the North Sea. There was no sign of specific wear or damage on either CROLL before these failures occurred.

Perspective:

Over hundreds of thousands of Petzl CROLL have been produced in the last 20 years, with hundreds of thousands of hours of use recorded and tens of thousands of kilometers travelled on ropes. Over this time, Petzl has not had a failure of this type reported before.

Immediate Petzl actions:

Our technical team is urgently working on this matter, and Petzl is committed to carrying out an in-depth investigation to understand the exact causes of these two failures.

Our initial analysis has concluded that:

these two CROLL are genuine Petzl products,

these two CROLL were produced in August 2012,

the rivet materials and dimensions comply fully with our requirements.

Numerous trials and tests are being undertaken in the Petzl test laboratory to replicate the service conditions and attempt to produce a reoccurrence of this failure. To date, it has not been possible to replicate the failure observed.

Petzl recommendations:

The occurrence of this in-service failure is exceptionally low (two in hundreds of thousands). As a matter of user confidence:

Petzl reminds you that when connected to a rope device, the user must have a back-up device or a connection to a second rope clamp (secondary means of support).

Petzl recommends that users visually inspect their CROLL B16 & B16AAA to check that the rivet head is not missing.

Note that the new smaller CROLL and other Petzl rope clamps are not concerned by this information. Only the old CROLL B16 & B16AAA are concerned.

Future actions:

Petzl is continuing to investigate the cause of these exceptional occurrences.

Petzl will communicate the results of these investigations, including any potential corrective actions, as soon as they are concluded. When: April 18th at the latest

Petzl requests that this information be made available to all those who work with, maintain and inspect Petzl CROLL rope clamps; and strongly recommends that the recommendations listed be put into effect.